Other than the lone voice of Christopher Booker, this is the first piece I can recall seeing in the MSM that believes Cameron’s “renegotiation tactics” are based on a false premise, while mentioning Article 50 as the route of choice. From the piece by Andrew Stuttaford inthe weekly Standard:

“There is a credible way for the U.K. to exit the EU (it involves Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty; I’ll spare you the technicalities), but Cameron’s “negotiations” are not it. Anything involving the repatriation of enough powers to impress enough euroskeptics would need a new treaty to be agreed on by each EU country, a tall order for reasons that are both practical (there are currently 27 member states) and philosophical. The EU is driven by the idea of “ever closer union,” a process that only moves in one direction. Once a competence has been transferred from the national level to the EU it cannot​—​must not​—​be handed back. Were Britain to win an exception to this principle, it would make a shambles of what the EU is meant to be. “Europe,” warned the EU’s prominenti, is not “à la carte.” Britain was either in or, well, the rest was left unsaid by just about everyone other than the French.”

There we have the situation in regard to this “renegotiation meme” spelt out in plain, simple English that even Cameron should be able to understand. However, I won’t be holding my breath……..

The renegotiation meme is purely a Tory piece of nonsense and part of the charade which they have conducted for years, of being actually pro-EU but pretending they are not happy with it. Nobody other than the Tories talk about renegotiation and repatriation while staying a member of the EU. Continental federalists are quite straightforward in saying it’s total nonsense.

“In Europe but not ruled by Europe” sums it up. It’s not ‘Europe’ it’s the EU and the whole point of being a member of the EU is to be ruled by the EU.
Basically, it’s a lie, but it could be viewed in the same light as an advertising slogan.

The problem is that if you don’t scratch beneath the surface, not that you have to scratch far, the idea of coming to a new arrangement with our European partners and reforming the EU, all sounds so damned reasonable.

As for Cameron, I don’t think he understands much about the EU nor does he want to. He wants to believe this renegotiation stuff. The Tory Party really doesn’t have any option but to continue to put up a show to retain their eurosceptic support as best they can. They really are painted into a corner.

Well done Mr Stuttaford – a Brit who has done well in the US for a couple of decades. I wonder if his piece will be repeated in the UK media? Hahaha. No I haven’t been on the booze; I was being sarcastic!!